


up is the only way we go

by allstars



Series: happy steve bingo 2019 [4]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types
Genre: Adoption, Balloons, Captain America Steve Rogers/Modern Bucky Barnes, Family Fluff, Fluff, Happy Steve Bingo, M/M, Married Couple, Steve Rogers and the 21st Century
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-08
Updated: 2019-11-08
Packaged: 2021-01-25 16:29:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21359227
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allstars/pseuds/allstars
Summary: The dinner was fun and sweet, like everything Bucky does for Steve. They finally are able to walk in the streets holding hands — Steve mentally thanks the 21st century for that — and before they get home, he sees a kid innocently playing with a balloon on the street.A Captain America balloon.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Series: happy steve bingo 2019 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1538764
Comments: 8
Kudos: 84
Collections: Happy Steve Bingo 2019





	up is the only way we go

**Author's Note:**

> because domestic stucky and fluff family stories are never enough.  
(the prompt was "balloons". cute!)

It starts when they're walking down the street.

Steve and Bucky have been married for a year — dating since they can't really remember when, because let's be honest, they were in love since they met. But life happened.

And here they are. Their one year anniversary.

The dinner was fun and sweet, like everything Bucky does for Steve. They finally are able to walk in the streets holding hands — Steve mentally thanks the 21st century for that — and before they get home, he sees a kid innocently playing with a balloon on the street.

_A Captain America balloon._

Bucky sees the kid too, and looks at Steve just in time to see his eyes go wide and bright, and he smiles, he smiles for just a second. Then his eyes look sad. He looks down.

The thing is, this made him happy, so happy, and God, he loves when kids recognize him, say they love him. He loves it too much. So much that he started to want to have a kid. He never told Bucky, because the last thing Bucky needs it's Steve asking for them to have a kid when they're still focusing in Bucky's recovering. It's been years, but Steve is still afraid of the responsibilities he gives to his husband, because after all, he has a huge trauma to deal with.

So Steve keept his secret to himself.

He sees Bucky is staring at him, studying his reaction, and smiles at him.

"That's the cutest thing ever," Steve says.

"Wanna go talk to her?" Bucky asks. Steve thinks for a second, then nods.

They walk to the kid, and Steve squats down to her level. When she recognizes him, she let's out a little "_Cap!_"in surprise, and gives him the brightest toothless smile. She hugs him tight.

"Hey, little girl. What's your name?"

"Jackie!" Her mom looks down at them, smiling to Steve, as saying _it's okay, you can talk to her._

"Oh, hey, Jackie," Bucky says, and the girl notices he's there too.

"_Bucky_!" Her voice sounds so excited. She let's go of Steve and runs to hug Bucky. He squats just in time to take her on his arms, standing up, and Jackie hugs him tight, never letting go of the balloon.

That scene makes Steve smile.

"I love you both!" The kid is glowing in excitement. "Cap... Can I call you Stevie?" She asks, looking at him.

Steve stands up and goes to Bucky's side. "Of course you can, Jackie."

"That's a pretty nickname you got for him, Jackie. You know, I call him 'Stevie' too," Bucky says to the kid. She's still on his arms, swinging around her Captain America balloon.

"Are you two boyfriends?" She asks.

Steve looks at her mom — these are modern times, but you never know. She nods at him, answering his mental question with just one look. _Go ahead._

"We're husbands, sweetie," Steve answers. She smiles at them.

"I _knew_ it." Jackie says like she just solved a huge mystery. Steve smiles at Bucky. Kids are funny.

"Oh, you did?" Bucky asks.

"You look at him like he's the world," she says, looking to Bucky. "That's love."

Steve feels his heart so warm.

"I love him with my whole heart." Bucky says, looking at his husband.

Steve feels like he's about to cry, but he smiles at both of them.

* * *

Bucky opens the door of their apartment, letting go of Steve's hand for a moment. In the other is Jackie's balloon. She gave it to Bucky.

_"Bucky!" He hears his name being called when they're just about to leave. The man turns around to see Jackie looking at them, her balloon no more tied in her hand. She runs to the couple and hands the it to Bucky. "You can keep it," she says. He asks her why she's giving it to him, and she simply says: "Because you love him. And because I want you to remember me."_

_Bucky thanks her, says there's no way he could forget about her, takes the balloon on his free hand. The kid runs back to her mother and waves goodbye. _

_"Bye Stevie! Bye Bucky!"_

_"Bye, Jackie."_

_Steve says nothing about it in the way home, but Bucky catches him glimpse more than one time at the balloon he's holding . _

_He knows his husband. He got something on his mind._

"Sweetheart?" Bucky says, lacing the blue ballon with a cartooned version of his husband on a chair. "You okay?"

"Yeah. I... I'm just tired," Steve says.

"No, you're not."

"She was so sweet to us, wasn't he?" He tries to change the subject. "Kids are so pure."

"I'll really never forget her," Bucky says, getting closer to him. "But what's on your mind?"

"Nevermind... It's just—" he sighs. "It's stupid. And selfless. God, I'm the worst."

"Hey hey, shhh. What's that? Baby, I'll never judge you. Never," Bucky says, pulling his husband into a hug. "Please, talk to me."

"I'm totally ruining our anniversary," Steve whispers. "That's not fair."

"Baby, we are married. Things happen, we talk to each other so we can feel better. Can you tell me what's wrong so we can fix it?"

Steve breaths heavily on Bucky's neck, kisses it, breaths again. _Come on, tell him,_ he says to himself.

"Bucky, do you... Think we can ever have a baby? I mean—" he looks up right in his husband eyes. "Uh, adopt one."

"That's what was upsetting you? Jeez, Stevie. Of course we can. All I want is to have a family with you. That's all I want," Bucky says, smiling. Steve looks at him surprised, but relieved above all.

"You... Really?" Steve smiles and his eyes shine so bright in that moment that it makes Bucky hugs him one more time.

"It's time, Steve. It's time for us to settle down and enjoy our lives."

"I couldn't agree more, babe," Steve tears up, still curled up on his husband's chest. "It's all I could ever ask."

"We can have a baby girl," Bucky starts.

"And we can name her Jackie."

Steve plays around with the balloon on their living room. "Maybe she will like balloons."

"I'll make sure I'll give her one of these."

* * *

Exactly a year later, Steve gets home and sees the house is quieter than normal. He expected to see Bucky there, so they can go celebrate their anniversary, but it seems like he isn't home.

"Honey?" He tries. "You here?"

He hears a soft giggle, and then a _"__shhh__, he'll find us!"_ from their room.

No way. He knows these voices.

When he opens the door, there he is: Bucky, sitting on the bed, with Jackie on his lap.

Jackie is the girl they were trying to adopt for 6 months. The process was so slow Steve thought it would take a year so they could finally bring her home. They went to see her every week. And here she is.

She's finally home.

"Daddy Steve!" She says, excited, jumping from Bucky's lap and going straight to Steve's arms. He notices she's holding a balloon — an exact replica of the balloon Jackie (the other one) have to them.

"Oh, baby girl! Can't believe you're home!" He hugs her, not able to stop his tears from falling. Warm tears of joy.

"Daddy Bucky picked me up!" The kid squeezes him more. "And there's a gift for you, here," she handles him the blue ballon. "Like it?"

"I love it, baby," he walks to Bucky, and his husband hugs both of them. Finally, their family was together. "That's the best thing you could give to me," he says to Bucky.

His husband smiles. "I told you we would bring her home."

"You also didn't forgot about the balloon, didn't you?"

"I wanted to make an impact," he smiles, kissing Steve. Jackie is comfortably curled in Steve's arms. "So... Who wants to celebrate?"


End file.
